Saudi FM says willing to meet Iranian counterpart

In an interview with Al Sarq al Awsat, bin Farhan stated that Riyadh is ready to resume relations with Islamic Republic of Iran and for meetings with Iranian officials.

“The basic rule in international relations is having diplomatic ties with countries, and this rule is further strengthened in case of the two neighboring countries as vast as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, with religious, cultural and civilizational commonalties, each of which is of great importance,” he noted.

The senior official added that the agreement reached with Iran with the mediating of the People’s Republic of China following two years of negotiations in Iraq and Oman for the purpose, is the result of Saudi Arabia’s comprehension of its role and responsibility to improve regional security and stability, and decrease tensions.

The Saudi top diplomat stressed that reaching this agreement will lead to full political relations, and shows both countries’ will resolve differences by resorting to peaceful dialogue and diplomacy.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have reached an agreement in the Chinese capital of Beijing to restore their diplomatic relations and re-open embassies and missions within two months, seven years after their ties were broken off over several issues.

The agreement was struck on Friday after several days of intensive negotiations between Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani and his Saudi counterpart in Beijing. It was officially announced in a joint statement by Iran, Saudi Arabia and China.

The statement was inked by Shakhani, Musaid Al Aiban, Saudi Arabia’s national security adviser, and Wang Yi, the director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party.

Iran, Saudi Arabia and China expressed their firm determination to make their utmost efforts to promote regional and international peace and security, according to a statement.

Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after Iranian protesters, enraged by the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr by the Saudi government, stormed its embassy in Tehran.

The two sides had held five rounds of negotiations in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad since April 2021.